Sugar, We're Goin' Down Swinging
by Serena Thorn
Summary: It’s nearly Valentine’s Day and a worried wife hires Veronica to find her husband. When disaster strikes, Veronica realizes the only thing worse than being partnered with your nemesis is when they become your hero.


Title: Sugar, We're Going Down Swinging  
Rating: PG-13  
Summary: It's nearly Valentine's Day and a worried wife hires Veronica to find her husband. When disaster strikes, Veronica realizes the only thing worse than being partnered with your nemesis is when they become your hero.  
Spoilers: General series spoilers  
Characters/Pairings: Veronica, Lamb, Keith, Sacks, OFC's  
Word Count: 11,251  
Disclaimer: Veronica Mars is not owned by me, but by Rob Thomas. I'm simply borrowing these characters for non-profit entertainment. 

* * *

"Are you the Mars of Mars Investigations?" the tall, slender redhead asked when she spotted Veronica at her desk.

"I'm one of them," Veronica smiled up at her. Keith was out chasing down another lead for the cheating spouse case he had been working on for most of the week. Surely he wouldn't mind if she took this case which Veronica was willing to bet was another 09'er business woman looking to take down her employer. "What can I do for you?"

"My husband's -" the woman tried as she took a seat across from Veronica's desk. "My husband has a way of disappearing in a sense. At least when his ex-wife is involved."

"So you think your husband is seeing his ex-wife?" Veronica asked as she reached for her notepad.

"The question seems to be more when is he not seeing her," Allison smiled tightly. "They have a teenaged son together so they will always be in each other's lives which I ordinarily wouldn't mind. That part is fine, I'm fine with that. I understand. I'm still friends with one of my ex-husbands so it's understandable. But we're coming up on the one year anniversary of a time when - well, let's just say I'm not looking forward to a repeat."

"Gotcha," Veronica nodded. "Okay, well if I can just get your name and information, here are our package rates, just let me know what you're interested in and Mr. Mars and I will get right on it."

It took Allison only a minute to fill out exactly what she was looking for and expected and that she was selecting the most expensive package Mars Investigations had to offer. She wouldn't have a repeat of the year before if she could help it. Maybe her husband wasn't as focused on their marriage as he should be or claimed to be, but she was.

"Okay, well, Mrs. Riley, I'll just pass this along and we'll get started right away," Veronica smiled to the woman.

"See that you do. My husband, as I said, has a slight habit of doing this and if he is where I believe he is then I need to know about it. The last time was a year ago, almost to the day and was at a cabin upstate with her. I can't let that happen again," Allison went on as she rose from her seat and walked to the door.

"Understood," Veronica nodded as the woman headed out.

Veronica took a long moment to look over the paperwork. She let out a soft, "Wow," when she saw just what all the woman had agreed to. She really wasn't kidding about what she wanted. She wanted it all, every bell and whistle and then some. Clearly she was not only serious about finding her husband, but completely convinced that he was with his ex-wife.

Allison was about to further prove her seriousness as her day was far from done. A local P.I. wasn't enough for her. She wanted her husband found and preferably in that instant. Reality be damned, she wasn't going to lose her husband to that tramp again. Three times in the past twelve months, never mind all the times before, had been more than enough. She was through with his going back and forth. He had supposedly made his choice when they had renewed their vows six months earlier and she was intent to see him keep to it, especially for their young daughter's sake.

"Can I help you?" Deputy Sacks asked the statuesque redhead when he saw her walk up.

"You can get me the sheriff," she told him with a smile that implied asking to speak with a sheriff was as routine for her as ordering a cut of coffee.

"Do you have an appointment?" The woman looked professional enough, it could be possible that she was an assistant to an ADA or someone of the like.

"I wasn't aware I needed one to file a report. I'm looking for husband. I need to speak with the sheriff. Right now."

"I'll see if he's available," Sacks sighed as he walked back to Lamb's office.

"What?" he asked, not even waiting for the deputy to knock.

"There's a woman here, says she's looking for her husband and asked to speak with you directly."

Deciding he could use the break from his paperwork, Lamb shoved it aside, grabbed a fresh legal pad and nodded for Sacks to bring her in.

"You're younger than I expected," Allison commented when Sacks walked her in a moment later.

Lamb scoffed as he sat back in his chair. This woman was going to be a handful, he already knew it. "You don't watch the news, I take it?"

"I figured you were just the pretty boy they stick in front of the cameras to hide the actual older, donut-addicted sheriff. Guess I know what got you into this office now though. Anyway, like I told your deputy, I'm looking for husband. Before you ask, yes it's been over forty-eight hours since I last saw him, also he's not your usual missing person. He's a CEO of his father's company, he wouldn't just up and leave without telling anyone where he was going. Now I do have my suspicions as to where he is, but that's where you and, I would hope, your expertise comes in."

Lamb really didn't want to, but just for the sheer joy of getting this woman out of his office and hopefully back to bossing around her husband as opposed to him, he took the case.

As he followed up on her notes, Lamb saw that Allison hadn't been exaggerating about her husband being a CEO and nothing in his history indicated that he had a habit of running off like this. However there was a mention twice before. Once to Europe two years before and then the year before to Colorado. Also there had been mentions of there being another woman involved. So far it was adding up.

Don had to admit to himself that the woman was clever, getting him to do what should have been his predecessor's job. He wondered for a moment if Mrs. Riley had come to him because Keith had turned down the case or if she just wanted them both on it.

One way to find out, he decided.

"My dad's not here, Deputy," Veronica stated without even having to look up from her laptop as she typed away, still working on Allison's case which so far wasn't picking up much. Nathan was smart, didn't use his credit cards for any plane tickets he may have purchased or hotels or anything for the last two days.

"Allison Riley. Name ring a bell?"

"Maybe," she answered as she glanced up at him.

"Sounds like she came to me when you turned down her case. So what do you know? For once I get to do your job instead of you claiming to do mine," he grinned. That was what he had come for. To gloat. And alright, maybe pawn the case off onto her without her knowing that was what he was after. For once he had actually gotten what they were both after and if there was a chance of never having to see Allison again he would take it.

"Shows what you know. I'm working on her case as we speak. So now you can leave and please, let the door hit you on the way out," she grinned back at him.

"Must not be getting far then," he told her as he tucked his thumbs into his gun belt.

"And just look at how far you must have gotten to be here. Wait. Don't tell me. You tracked Nathan Riley down already and he's hiding under my desk?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," Lamb muttered as he looked away from her.

"Oh, don't be jealous just because she didn't offer you the company jet."

Now that she mentioned it he was, not that he would let it show. "A jet, huh? Why didn't you say so? When do we leave?"

"Uh, what? You've got to be kidding me. Aren't you supposed to be looking for Nathan yourself?"

"He's in Aspen. With the supposed ex. So I say give that bossy redhead client a call, get us that jet and we can be back with him in time so I can still catch the Laker game."

Now it was Veronica's turn to be angry. How the hell - Since when did he actually do his job?! "How do you know he's in Aspen?"

"Low friends in high places."

"Sounds familiar, minus the friends part," Veronica shrugged.

Lamb sighed, deciding to otherwise ignore her jab. "He might not be there for long though, so the longer you spend talking the less chance we have of getting him back here in a timely fashion. Unless of course you're just stalling to get more money out of that poor, worried client of yours in which case I'll have to arrest you for extortion."

Veronica glared as she reached for the phone. He definitely would. "Mrs. Riley?" she asked when the woman answered her cell. "It's Veronica Mars and I'm here with the sheriff. We found your husband. Well, more or less. He's not in California."

"_We_ found him?" Lamb asked her quietly.

Ignoring him, she went on, "He's in Aspen. Yes. Um, the only thing is, it almost being Valentine's Day and it being so far out of the way -"

Lamb listened to the rest of the conversation as best he could, realizing that Allison was apparently trying to talk Veronica into going with her to find her husband. Obviously she would need Veronica's knowledge of where Nathan was but since it was technically his knowledge that Allison was after…

"Mars, give me the phone," he told her finally when Veronica tried to cover again.

"The sheriff wants to talk to you," Veronica finally relented with a sigh.

"Mrs. Riley, Sheriff Lamb. I managed to find out that your husband's in Aspen and it does appear that he's with Sarah Carter."

Veronica had to admit Lamb seemed to know how to handle himself with this conversation. He was telling Allison just enough to keep her relatively calm while holding back enough of the information to keep the woman from going off on her own.

"Okay, Miss Mars and I will see you soon," he told her before handing the phone back to Veronica with a smile.

"Miss Mars and you will see her soon? Where are you planning on taking me, Deputy?"

"Remember that jet your client offered you? Seems our worried wife doesn't want to wait any longer than she has to to get her husband back. You need me because I know where Nathan is. Given that this was originally your case you're allowed to come along so long as you stay out of my way. It's Allison's husband's company jet so it's obvious why she's coming along. Now we've got twenty minutes before we're supposed to meet her at the air strip and I'm not showing up in uniform because I don't feel like having done all of this work just to scare off Nathan and have to do it all again."

"You? Scary?" Veronica almost burst out laughing.

"Riley Enterprises. Twenty minutes. I'll meet you both there."

**

"Will the sheriff be joining us?" Allison smirked as she crossed her arms over her chest when she saw Veronica walking up alone fifteen minutes later.

"Yeah, he just had to let his deputies know where he was going and why."

"Ah, I see," she stated, losing yet more of her patience until she saw the Balboa County cruiser roll up.

"Are you really sure we need the sheriff for this? I've managed - " Veronica tried.

"Oh, yes, it's not an option. You see, this way I can be sure I won't do anything I'll regret when I find my husband, likely in a similar cabin to the one he met his ex-wife at last February."

"Are we ready, ladies?" Lamb smirked with a snap of his gum.

If they had been on anyone else, Veronica would have appreciated the jeans and the long-sleeved, almost too well fitting, dark blue shirt. But given that it was the bane of her existence that apparently felt the need to show off, she was only even more irritated.

"Nice of you to finally show up," Veronica stated as he walked up.

"How about we go get this lady's husband and we can play later?" he winked before he walked passed her.

Without a word, Veronica followed even as she tried to remember why she even needed to be there. Okay, Allison believed she knew where her husband was, but Lamb wasn't giving the info up. Allison claimed she needed Lamb there to make sure she didn't kill her husband. Aspen wasn't even close to Lamb's jurisdiction. _Maybe she just wants an excuse to see more of him when she catches her husband with his ex._

Veronica felt sick. That had to be it. So now she wasn't just supposed to be another witness to keep Allison in check but was also supposed to apparently keep Lamb from being molested by this woman. Lovely. Never mind that it would serve him right for going along with this. Still, it had been her case and it would likely be up to her to do the real work.

"I'm starting to think I got into the wrong line of work," Don commented as he took his seat and glanced around the plane. For one thing the seats weren't anything like he was used to on commercial airlines. They were arm chairs! That was it, he decided. No more riding sbitch/s coach for him.

"Only just?" Veronica smirked from her window seat across the aisle from him. "Look on the bright side, it's not too late. You could quit any time you wish. In fact, consider this my official offer to help you clean out your office."

Lamb was just about to fire a comeback when the pilot came over the intercom to tell them they were ready for takeoff.

"So you know exactly where my husband is, right?" Allison asked from her seat behind the bickering pair. "This isn't going to be some wild goose chase?"

Glancing to Veronica, Lamb answered, "There's a cabin Nathan apparently rented. It's also where the GPS tracker has located his car. That's where we're going."

"And if it turns out he's not there?"

"Then I'll put another call in to the local precinct there and see what they say about the car."

"Can you think of a reason, aside from the potential obvious that Nathan would be with his ex-wife in Aspen?" Veronica asked as cautiously as she could.

"Aside from how Nathan seems to make it a point to get involved in Sarah's life and this being the anniversary of when they did this a year ago? No, not really."

Unfortunately, the plane ride didn't get any less tense. Conversation was made, mostly, by Allison talking about her husband's misdeeds. How she and Nathan had even renewed their wedding vows that year. Veronica kept envisioning the many things she would do to a husband who treated her how Nathan had been treating his wife despite knowing she couldn't voice those fantasies with a certain sheriff just a few seats from her.

Lamb, wisely, stayed quiet. He knew reminding the women he was flying with that he was in fact male could spell his doom. Especially once Veronica got into the act by talking about the Kane kid and how he hadn't told her about when he was visiting the Manning girl in the hospital when she was still comatose. Privately he smirked to himself at Veronica's admittance that Duncan hadn't been as wholesome as she had implied.

"So what exactly are you looking for when we find your husband?" Veronica asked Allison.

"To see if there's anything left of my marriage worth saving."

Allison seemed to have been granted her answer two hours later when, after that phone call Lamb did in fact have to put in to the local station, they were all at the cabin.

The bright side seemed to be that they hadn't really interrupted anything and Nathan and Sarah weren't in a compromising position nor seemed to be lacking any clothes. However all three seemed to still be angry all the same.

Lamb decided to hang back, feeling he had done his chore and wanted to get back to Neptune already. Veronica however always did enjoy a good scene whether she was part of it or not so she chose to listen in on the ensuing catfight.

"What are you even doing here?" Sarah demanded as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I feel I should be asking you that," Allison told her before turning to her husband and asking, "Shouldn't I, baby? Shouldn't I be asking you two what you're doing here? Right here, just before the anniversary of the last time you two were in a place similar to this?"

"Wow, you are delusional," the slim blonde told Allison as though this were news to her. "This -"

"I brought Sarah up here to get her away from the cruelty she was being forced to endure at her work back in San Diego after Jacob decided to go to the press," Nathan cut in. "This isn't at all like last year. I made a commitment to you -"

"Yeah, yeah, you did. And part of that was no more secrets, wasn't it? Didn't you promise me that there wouldn't be any more secrets between us? Especially involving Sarah?"

"Look, Veronica and I -" Lamb tried to break in. It was getting dark and colder and he really wanted to be able to at least get a two hour nap in before he had to be into work the next morning.

"Right," Allison sighed, having completely forgotten he and Veronica were there at all. Funny how she had a one-track mind when it came to her husband and his ex.

"Who are you?" Nathan asked defensively when he noticed he was there himself.

"He's a sheriff," Allison smirked. "And his partner there is a private investigator. You didn't think I wouldn't try to find you, did you? You had to know I believed you were serious about wanting a fresh start."

"I was. I am. But Sarah needed to get out of town -"

"And you were right there to ride to her rescue like you always are."

"Ride to my rescue? Allison, I'm not some fragile thing in need of rescuing," Sarah replied, tired of being talked about as if she wasn't standing right there.

"I know that," Allison told her, her blue eyes wide. "_I_ know that. But I often am left wondering if Nathan is aware of that when I'm sitting at home, alone, with our daughter who's asking where her daddy is and I don't have an honest answer for her because while I know he's clearly with you, I never know just where that is."

"Tell you what, why don't you two go back to Neptune and to your lives and I'll get back to mine?" Sarah asked. "Nathan, thank you for trying to give me a reprieve from Jacob, but I think I can take it from here."

"Sounds good to me," Allison stated as she looked to Nathan. "What do you say, baby? Can we go home? Or is there something you need to finish here?"

Nathan sighed as he looked back to his ex. He hated leaving her alone, still convinced he was the only one who could protect her. "Let's go home."

"Great," Allison smiled before turning her attention back to their audience of two. "I appreciate your help, but I'm going to ride back with my husband. We clearly can use the time it'll take to drive back. You two can feel free to take the jet back to Neptune, the pilots know where to go. I'll let them know to expect only you."

"Are you sure?" Veronica asked her, ignoring Lamb's expression that told her to take the offer and run before Allison had the chance to change her mind.

"Absolutely. We can settle all of this tomorrow. Right now we all just need to focus on getting back."

"Wait. You're letting these two take the jet? As in the Riley Enterprises jet?" Nathan demanded.

"They need to get back before you do. Also, the company needs their CEO, doesn't it? You can imagine why they let me borrow the jet for this purpose when they knew you had taken off without a word for what appears to have been a Valentine's celebration," Allison stated in a voice that was clearly a warning for him.

Taking Veronica by the arm, Lamb gently led her back to their own escort, the car Allison had called ahead to wait for them from the landing strip.

"Why am I not surprised you want to get out of here before you witness something you might have to testify to?" Veronica asked him.

"Don't you get enough of this crap back at Hearst?" he shot back.

"Not until someone gets slapped."

"I just want to get home," he sighed.

"You never were any fun," she replied as she climbed into the car.

"You're the only one who says so."

"You don't pay me so that leaves me free to tell you the truth," she grinned as he climbed in beside her.

"We need to get back to the Riley jet. Mrs. Riley said we could take it back to Neptune while she and Mr. Riley take the car back," Lamb told their driver.

The man nodded and started the car.

**

"Would you two like to be alone?" Veronica asked when she saw Lamb once again running his hands over the tan leather armrests of his seat when the plane was back in the air. _Of all the ten other seats on the plane he just has to sit next to me, of course,_ Veronica thought with a sigh. She should have known he wouldn't waste an opportunity to irritate her.

"That's right, you're used to this, aren't you? Flying all around in private jets?"

She wasn't, but since it clearly got to Lamb that the possibility was there she decided to let him wonder. "So weren't we supposed to basically be Allison's witnesses to make sure she didn't kill her husband? Why did you agree to leave her there?"

"She seemed to have things under control and if she really wants him dead then it won't matter if we're there or not. Besides, some of us have work in the morning."

"Implying you actually work?" Veronica asked with her best mock stun.

"This from the girl who takes dirty pictures for a living? Somehow I fail to be insulted."

"That's not all you fail at," she muttered.

"This is Captain Davis speaking," the man stated over the intercom a little over an hour later, "we ask that you fasten your seatbelts at this time as we've encountered some rough weather. We'll be making an emergency landing, try to set us down before we see the worst of it."

"Working with you always is a bumpy ride," Lamb cracked as he clicked his seatbelt into place.

"You could've ridden back with Allison. No one was stopping you," she replied as she did the same.

"Because I trust you alone on a private plane. Yeah. I don't think so, Mars," he smirked.

"If I die in a plane crash, I'm blaming you," she informed him as if it were news she would blame him for something happening to her.

Lamb chuckled at that because, well, by now the idea of her blaming him for things that really were beyond his control was typical and the fact it was typical made it funny.

"Just out of sheer, hypothetical curiosity, how many plane crashes have you worked? I'm sorry, how many plane crashes have you made your deputies work?"

With that the plane jerked from one side to the next and Lamb knew what she was asking. "We're not going to crash."

"I forgot how much you like your denial," Veronica stated as the plane jerked again.

"Private. Jet. Veronica. These guys are paid way more than the pilots of the planes you and I are used to. It's being a company jet -"

His words were cut off by the plane dipping sharply that time, the storm still rocking the cabin back and forth.

"Any final words before we plunge to our deaths, Lamb?" Veronica asked, fighting to not hyperventilate. She had never had a real fear of flying until now. The storm raging all around them, the terrifying banging sounds of the metal shell being battered and the constant shaking of the cabin, Lamb being the calm one between them; it was all frightening.

"Never figured you for such a scaredy-cat, Mars," he sighed. Anger, yes. If he could keep himself angry, keep her fighting, then he knew they would both be fine. Anger would make them both stronger, both able to deal with what was happening.

"Unlike some, I don't have a death wish!" she cried.

"You. Are. Not. Dying. Tonight," he told her, ordering her more than anything, to believe him.

Veronica screamed despite her mental orders to never let Lamb see her vulnerable again when the plane dipped sharply once more. Still, she was 25,000 feet off the ground and the plane was shaking violently, it wasn't like she had found a spider. Gravity favored large, heavy objects.

"Veronica -" Lamb tried before the storm forced them to bounce again, this time causing the oxygen masks to drop down in front of their faces.

"Great. I'm going to die in a plane crash and yours is going to be the last face I see. This field trip officially sucks!" Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she should have been reaching for her mask, that Lamb should have been reaching for his, but the plane was rising and falling too quickly for either of them to even try.

"You're not going to die in a plane crash, Veronica." He knew he was the last person she would want trying to calm her down but given that he was used to life and death, do or die situations he knew he would be her best bet. The fact she was on the verge of crying now proved that she didn't believe him, but he didn't care. He believed it, that was enough for him.

Veronica gasped when the plane dipped again, her knuckles white as she clung to the edge of the armrests and her eyes slamming shut as she attempted to force her breathing to resemble something close to normalcy.

"Mars. Look at me, we are not going to crash," he told her, unsure at this point just which of them he was trying to convince.

However with that the plane shook violently again against the rain, wind and hail, sending them both back and forth in the seats before finally sending Veronica's head slamming against the plane's wall.

"Veronica!" Lamb called out at seeing her body go limp and her head fall forward. He couldn't see her face through the veil of blonde hair shielding it from his view and the next sharp dip of the plane he wasn't even able to try to get a better look at her.

"Should've known… Never fly… With you…" Veronica managed. Everything was spinning and she couldn't tell if it was from having hit her head or the plane or both.

"Mars! Mars!" Keeping her awake was essential, he knew. The fact she even still was was of some comfort but she wasn't responding to anything else.

To him it felt like an eternity, but the moment of impact came within seconds. The plane had landed.

Technically.

It was on the ground, in pieces, most of which were on fire.

Lamb didn't waste time in trying to process what had happened. Instead his sheriff instincts that forced him to focus on the injured were kicking in and he undid his seatbelt as quickly as he could, getting Veronica out of hers a second later.

"This way!" Captain Davis called to him when he saw his passengers had survived. At least one of them from the look of it when he saw the sheriff gather the young woman into his arms. "Is she okay?"

"She hit her head," he stated as he carried Veronica through one of the large holes at the side of the plane from where the wing had been torn off by the storm. At least the plane had crashed somewhere it was dry, he decided. It was still cold, but dry.

"We'll go for help," Captain Davis nodded as he looked to his co-pilot.

"Wait. Where are we? California?"

The older man nodded.

"Call Balboa County. I'm the sheriff, just tell them what happened. And get an ambulance," he told him as he sat Veronica on the ground far enough from the falling debris and quickly followed to prop her up against himself.

Captain Davis didn't have to be told twice. He knew more or less where they were, that they weren't too far from a highway and decided he and his co-pilot would do best to head there.

"So cold," Veronica groggily stated just above a whisper.

For the first time in a long time, Sheriff Don Lamb was absolutely terrified. He had just been in a plane crash with Veronica and now she was in and out of consciousness. Still, he managed to think enough so that in seconds he had her propped up against his chest, even more scared at the realization of just how small she really was against him. He kept one hand gently on her head, smoothing her hair, trying to will the knot she had suffered away.

He wasn't even thinking how Keith would kill him if anything happened to Veronica, he wasn't thinking how he had almost died as it was. He couldn't even think how it was an unusual concept for him to think of someone other than himself for a change.

Right then all Lamb could think about was how he had this tiny, injured girl against him and despite how much she loved chewing him out and how many years they had been enemies, he still wanted nothing more than for her to open her eyes and spin around to slap him. She would be herself then, she would be awake and alive and fighting. That was the Veronica Mars he knew, not this.

"Lamb?" came Veronica's pain-weakened voice another minute later.

It was small, but he heard her. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, Veronica," he replied as he smoothed her hair again.

"I should've known better than to fly with you."

That time he laughed. Fear, relief, hope; it was all swirling together. It had been a long time since he had been faced with so many strong, conflicting emotions at once. He couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time as he rested his cheek against the top of her head and moved to hold one of her hands. She was alive. That was all that mattered.

"I'll see what I can do about refunding your frequent flyer miles," he replied finally with another relieved laugh.

She should have laughed herself that time, even a small one. Something. Another comeback. Anything. But instead he felt her body relaxing too much against him again, she was slipping.

"Mars, no. You can't do this to me. Not now. Come on. Just tell me how I messed up my last case. You know that's the highlight of your day, come on, Mars, please. I ruined your perfect anti-Valentine's celebrations, ream me for it. You know you want to."

Still there was no response from her. Lamb really wasn't sure how much more of this he could take. He had handled the plane crash pretty well, he thought. No screaming, trying to keep Veronica calm, taking care of her when he realized she was hurt. Of course he could also be in shock but he could worry about that later. Right then he was conscious and Veronica wasn't. Nothing about that was right in his mind. Would people care if he died? He doubted it. But Veronica? That whole damn town needed her to live. Even him. This was never how this was supposed to go. He had been in shootouts that were less terrifying than this.

Shootouts. Somehow that single word managed to remind him of his title. Saying it to the pilots had been a reflex, he hadn't even been able to think of what the word meant just simply that it was his title. With that he lifted his head and reached for his cell. With any luck they wouldn't be too far out and he would have a signal. He knew the pilots had run to get help but there was a big difference between pilots trying to flag down cars on the highway and a sheriff calling into his station for help.

"Sheriff's Department," Sacks answered.

"Sacks, I need a team out by the highway. I don't know where, just follow the cloud of black smoke. There was a plane crash about twenty minutes ago. Veronica and I were in it."

In less than ten minutes they were hearing sirens.

"Hear that, Mars?" he asked her, one arm still curled around her middle, his other hand back at her head that was still resting against his shoulder. Cavalry's on the way. You've come this far, baby, don't let me down now. You've just gotta hang on. I need you, Veronica, I need you to keep making my life hell. If anyone knows that it's you. You can't let me lose you like this. Where would the fun in that be for you?"

His hand had been back over hers since he had hung up from Sacks and it was then he felt the ever so slight movement of hers as if she were trying to grasp his hand. Half-terrified she had heard his confession, half-terrified she was only having a muscle spasm that had nothing to do with her being conscious, he sighed out. "I'm here, Veronica. I'm here."

"Sheriff?" Sacks called out as he led the others up the hill towards them.

Snapping out of his shock-induced daze, he called back, "We're over here."

"What happened?" the mustached deputy asked when he reached them, the medical team moving to Veronica.

Standing as he watched them try to assess Veronica's condition and raise her onto their orange back board, Lamb answered, "We flew into a storm. Veronica hit her head when we hit turbulence. The plane crashed maybe five minutes later."

"Are you okay?"

Lamb scoffed as he kept his blues on the petite P.I. "Guess we'll find out."

**

"End of the line, Sheriff, you know the rule. Let us do our job," the doctor told him as he had followed the medics, nurses and doctor once they were in the hospital.

"Lamb!" Keith called out when he saw him.

Don spun around at the sound of his name and sighed. Why he was surprised to see Keith he couldn't be sure. Of course Sacks had called him. Veronica was his daughter. "Keith."

"Tell me what Sacks said isn't true. A plane crash?!" Of course he could see Lamb, could see that the younger man clearly looked as though he had escaped a fire. He reeked of smoke and soot was all over him and his clothes but he still couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it.

"It wasn't planned," he sighed as he looked up to the all too white hospital ceiling tiles.

"Shouldn't you be getting examined too then?" Keith asked, unable to disguise his anger at the fact Don was standing there and his daughter was unconscious in the next room across from them surrounded by doctors and nurses.

"I'm fine," he replied with a deep breath as he looked back to the door of Veronica's room, his own anger at the same fact resurfacing.

"You were just in a plane crash with my daughter. What part of that sounds fine to you, Lamb?"

"She's alive," he replied, locking his eyes onto the older man's.

Keith couldn't help but be a little stunned by the play of emotions crossing the sheriff's face. If he wasn't convinced he knew better, he would have sworn those were even tears in Don's eyes.

"Mr. Mars?" the doctor asked as he stepped into the hall.

"Yes," Keith answered.

"Your daughter seems to have suffered a minor concussion. We expect a full recovery but I want to keep her here for the remainder of the day for observation."

Neither man missed the relieved exhale of air that came from the other survivor as he put his hands together and brought them to his face, looking upwards as though he were about to thank the god he hadn't believed in for years.

"Can I see her?" Keith asked.

"Yes, she needs her rest though so try to keep it brief."

Keith nodded before heading inside, the doctor then turning his attention to Lamb.

"Sheriff?"

"Thank you," he told him, fighting to keep control of his emotions.

"You need to get checked out yourself."

He shook his head. "I'm fine. She's alive, I'm fine."

"Sheriff, you were in a plane crash, we don't know what injuries you may have suffered. You may be right and you may have been lucky, but until we know that -"

"Veronica was next to the window, not me. She hit her head, I didn't. I'm fine. I'll sign whatever you need me to, I just - " He needed to see her was what he had managed to stop himself from saying. He couldn't take it. He was having a hard enough time coming to terms with the fact he still cared about the girl, he wasn't quite ready for the rest of the world to know it yet.

"Lamb?" Veronica asked when she saw the door to her room closing after someone having come in, someone not in a white coat.

"It's Dad, Veronica," Keith told her as he walked to the chair beside her bed.

"It was just supposed to be a routine missing persons," she sighed.

"And Lamb?"

"His presence had been requested."

Meanwhile, outside of Veronica's room Lamb had begun actively pacing once he had the department back on the line. "I need everything you can get me on Riley Enterprises."

"Sheriff -"

"Do I sound like I'm kidding, Ramirez? Everything. Namely records for maintenance on their planes. Now. I want it all my desk when I get in." It was Sunday, he wasn't supposed to be in until noon and a quick glance to his watch told him his deputies would have a little over five hours to get those things to him. Five hours too long, but he literally wanted everything.

If he could prove negligence then he knew he would be seeing Nathan Riley again much sooner than expected and his wife wouldn't have to worry for a good while about where her husband was. She would know because he would be in jail for reckless endangerment. Or hell, for all he knew Allison had staged it to kill Nathan and his ex should they have taken the jet for their would-be romantic Valentine's getaway. Reckless endangerment or attempted murder, Lamb wasn't picky. Right then he was willing to throw it all at them.

"Don," Keith stated as he stepped out of Veronica's room.

"Do it," Lamb ordered before he hung up and looked to Keith. "Yeah, Keith?"

While he couldn't imagine the reason behind the words he was about to say, he said them all the same. "She's asking for you."

Lamb was inside Veronica's room in all of three long strides.

"How much did you pay them?" she smirked.

"Pay who?" Of course she would blame him for the crash. Why wouldn't she?

"The doctors. The way I hear it, you're my hero and that just cannot be right."

He almost laughed. "You don't remember who carried you out of the plane? Or who tried to keep you awake and warm after we were out of there?"

She didn't. Exactly. She remembered being carried which implied someone who was at least strong enough to lift her one hundred-ten pound self. That easily could have been either of the pilots as well. But she did remember hearing his voice, not the words he had been saying, but his voice. Then too she remembered the stench of smoke only further abusing her nostrils, however under that there had been something familiar. Something she remembered. And something she was catching a hint of even now as Lamb took a seat beside her bed.

_Oh, frack._ It was true. "You? Seriously?! Why aren't there ever any hot firemen around when you need them?"

"You're welcome, Veronica, any time. Happy to save your life. Oh, me? I'm fine, thanks for asking," he grinned.

"I assumed you were given that you're walking and not rooming with me here on a lovely hospital bed of your own. So have you heard from the Rileys? Are they back yet?"

"No, but I will. I've already got my deputies looking into them. If there was any, and I do mean any, negligence on their part that almost killed us, I'm gonna find out."

"Deputies? Oh, Lamb, how I admire your dedication to your cases," she smirked.

"You wanted to see me," he smirked back.

"So how'd my dad take the news that you supposedly saved me?"

Lamb shrugged. "Not sure he knows. Probably wouldn't believe it if anyone told him anyway."

"Isn't this the part where you pretend to be taking my statement or something?"

"You hit your head and I can take care of that later. I've got," he looked to his watch, "four hours before I have to be ready to go into the station. Until then," he grinned as he propped his feet up on her hospital bed.

"Great. I get in one plane crash and I'm stuck with you as my shadow," she all but groaned as she let her head fall heavily back against her pillows.

"That's pretty much the short version," he nodded.

"Well if you must be here you could at least make yourself useful. I'll need breakfast. Burgers sound good and while I eat and you continue to refuse treatment, you can tell me what you said to keep me awake."

Don couldn't help but be relieved that she didn't remember the things he had said when he had actually been afraid of losing her. "Burgers? You lookin' to get me in trouble? Forget it. You're eating hospital Jell-O until they release your concussed butt."

"Unlike present company, I think with my actual head. You're the one who sits on their brain."

"Funny, because it was this brain that knew how to keep your neck straight and called for the help that got here in ten minutes. But if you'd rather have risked being paralyzed or killed in the fire, I guess I could've left you there."

"You're a jerk, you know that?"

"Love you too, Mars," he grinned.

A small knock came on the door and Lamb turned to see a man he didn't know who seemed to be official, though clearly not a doctor, walking into Veronica's room.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said when he saw Veronica had a visitor. After having spoken a bit with her father he could guess who he was. "Sheriff Lamb?" the large man asked.

"Yeah," he answered as he took his feet down and rose from his seat.

"Curtis Turner, Federal Aviation Administration," he told him as he held out his hand for a shake. "I have a few questions I need to ask you both about what happened this morning."

"I'm not going anywhere," Veronica shrugged.

"You need your rest, doctor's orders," Lamb told her.

"Actually I spoke to your doctors," Curtis told her, "they said it was fine if you were up for it."

Veronica glanced to Lamb. "I can't really remember much, but go ahead."

Flipping open his notepad, he continued, "Okay, what can you tell me about the moments leading up to the crash?"

"Everything was smooth sailing until the pilot said were heading into some rough weather. Almost as soon as he said that the plane just started to shake and it'd stop for a few seconds and then started up again and then it was constant. I just remember feeling the plane falling and then everything went black. The next thing I remember was waking up -" she looked to Lamb "- for a second."

"Do you remember the moment of impact?" It wasn't uncommon for there to be pieces missing after something so traumatic, but he had to ask.

Veronica shook her sore head as much as she could.

"What about you?" Curtis asked Lamb.

"The storm started tearing the plane apart. It was already practically in pieces before we hit the ground."

"One of the pilots, Captain Davis, said that Mrs. Riley gave you the go ahead to go on without her, is that correct?"

"Yeah, she said she'd ride back with her husband," Veronica told him.

"Did that seem suspicious to you?"

"I have my deputies looking into that as we speak," Don nodded.

"So you considered it suspicious but didn't ask her about it?"

"We needed to get back to Neptune as soon as possible. Mrs. Riley assured us that it would be fine, that she needed time to sort things out with her husband, so we left."

"Do you believe that Mrs. Riley could be capable of risking her husband's life?"

"We will be investigating every possibility," Lamb stated as he glanced over to Veronica who had been much quieter than he had expected her to be. Only then did he see that it was because she was falling asleep. She was actually pretty cute when she wasn't chewing him out, he mused for a moment.

"Sheriff?" Curtis asked, trying to get his attention.

"I'll answer whatever other questions you have, but only as long as we can take this into the hall. Veronica needs her rest and -"

"Of course," the older man nodded.

**

When Veronica's eyes opened little seemed to have changed. It had to have been hours later, but Lamb was still there. Still beside her, still using a free part of her hospital bed for a footrest. She could also see he was too distracted with whatever he was reading in the files he had in his hands to even realize she had woken up so she took in the sight of him while she could.

He looked a little cleaner than she remembered seeing him earlier. Not as though he had gone home to shower and he definitely hadn't changed his clothes. But he had at least washed his hands and face from the look of him. Beyond that she shuddered to think how long he had been there.

"I never thought I'd see the day," Veronica told him finally, deciding to jar him back to reality. "You're actually reading something for the articles."

Don almost chuckled as he looked to her. "Afternoon to you too, Mars."

"Afternoon? What time is it?"

"After four. How'd you sleep?"

"My head hurts."

"You want me to get a doctor?"

"No," she sighed. She was in pain, but she wasn't up for more prodding just yet. "Why are you here? Didn't you say something about having to go into the station and looking into the Rileys to see if they had anything to do with this? Where's my dad?"

"I sent Keith home, he needed rest as much as you did. But since I saved your ass back on the plane he agreed to let me stay and keep an eye on you. As for these," he told her as he held up the files, "this is everything the department could find on the Rileys. I saw Allison when she walked into my office, I've seen that intensity before and I would not put it past her to try something. I'm almost convinced this accident was anything but."

"Why would she want us dead?"

"I don't think it was about us. I think she was looking to kill Nathan and Sarah. Turns out it was just pure chance that Nathan drove Sarah up there as opposed to taking the plane. Sounded like Allison would've been more convinced it was a romantic getaway otherwise."

"What does the guy from the FAA think?"

"Same thing given the information I gave him How Allison was so set to have us both on the case to bring Nathan back, the fact she admitted that she needed witnesses to make sure she didn't do anything to him, the shouting match she had with him and Sarah when we got there and how everything seemed find up until the final moments."

"You're not going to let me look those over, are you?" she asked with a tight half-smile.

"Nope," he grinned in reply as he took a sip of the grotesque black liquid the hospital called coffee. If nothing else it was hot and caffeinated.

"Well then if I'm stuck with you as my guard you could at least get me some food. I haven't eaten since -"

"The Jell-O is the only even half-edible food here," he muttered, memories of the last time he was a patient rearing their ugly heads again.

"I was thinking more along the lines of a burger still."

"And how many burgers did you bring me when I was cooped up here?"

Veronica dug her head back into the pillow. She hadn't even visited him after his brush with death, but even with her most recent she wasn't going to admit that she hadn't gone to see him simply because she couldn't take seeing him that way. Human, hurt, in need. Just the idea was too much for her even now. For that she was thankful it was her in this hospital bed and not Lamb. Of course there was that pesky fact of him having saved her today which confused her to no end.

"Huh," he chuffed after reading a rather intriguing line in the file.

"What?"

He lifted a finger as if to put her on finger hold and reached for his phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"Sacks, it's Lamb. I need you to find Allison Riley and bring her into the station. Yes. Right now. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Figures. You sit to watch me sleep but as soon as I wake up you lose interest," Veronica sighed dramatically.

"Allison Riley was suspected of vehicular manslaughter ten years ago. She was also a witness to a good friend of hers shooting a woman supposedly in self-defense three years ago. I've gotta move on this. If what I'm thinking is true - I'll be back later."

"Stop. If what you're thinking is true? What are you thinking? I thought -"

"I'm leaving Sampson and Ramirez outside your door. Aside from hospital staff, only Keith and I have clearance to your room as of now. You are going to stay here. I'm going to catch our attempted murderer."

Just like that Veronica was left by her lonesome, left behind once again just when a case was heating up. Typically she would have been hot on his heels but the meds the doctors had given her were designed to slow her down, force her to rest. Part of her wondered if they hadn't been Lamb's idea. Either way, she wasn't going anywhere.

**

"Sheriff," Allison smirked defiantly when she strode into the interrogation room several minutes after she had been brought in by Sacks.

Lamb wordlessly dropped the open file onto the table in front of her. "Care to tell me about that?"

The slender redhead looked over the pages the file was open to. "I suppose I should be surprised that you looked into my history."

"You're not?" he asked as he took a seat across from her.

"I heard about the crash. I apologize if you or Miss Mars were harmed but I think it would serve you better to look into the pilots who chose to brave the storm."

"We have. They were never accused of vehicular manslaughter. They didn't tell the local sheriff they would need witnesses when they got to Aspen either."

"I see," she nodded as she stood. "If you care to question me further, you can feel free to contact my attorney." With that Allison headed out as she knew she wasn't being charged.

Still sitting in the chair even after Allison had left the room, Lamb knew he had everything he needed. It was as good as a confession in his mind given the woman's icy tone and demeanor, especially when she left as quickly as she had without another word. He just needed cooperation now. He hoped from Sarah Carter.

"Uh, Sheriff?" Sacks tried.

Lamb rose from his seat and looked to his deputy. "I want Sarah Carter in here the second you find her."

"What are you gonna do?"

Lamb gave a slight scoff. "I've got an attorney to call."

"Don't you think -"

"I think Veronica Mars and I were almost killed in a plane crash today and I think I know why. Allison Riley may have gotten away with murder once. It's not gonna happen again."

"Maybe you should -"

"Quit wasting time and get the FAA agent on the phone and then contact Mrs. Riley's attorney? Now why didn't I think of that? Yeah. I should," he stated as he brushed passed the younger man. Shower? Eat? Rest? Change his clothes even if into his uniform? It didn't matter what Sacks was going to say, the only thing he was going to do then was work to put whoever was responsible for today behind bars.

This was personal, he'd be damned if he left anyone get away with trying to kill him. The fact this person, whoever it was, had caused him to realize that he actually needed Veronica in his life only fueled his want for vengeance. And if she ever remembered the things he had admitted to her just this morning - well, in that moment they would be thankful they were in jail.

"This is Curtis," the FAA agent answered his ringing cell.

"Mr. Turner, Sheriff Don Lamb, we met this morning. Plane crash."

"Of course. What can I do for you?"

"Some new information has come to light. I just had Allison Riley in my station and she was rather uncooperative. She left me her attorney's card, in fact. Anyway, given that in addition to the information I gave you earlier, I'm becoming increasingly certain this was no accident and that she's the one we should be looking at."

"I seem to have met similar circumstances actually. Mr. Riley informed me what I could do with my report and that I could take my questions to his attorney."

If Lamb had it his way he would be arresting Allison within the hour, but first he needed probable cause beyond her not wanting to answer his questions and then a warrant. Evidence that was more than circumstantial would be a help too.

"Was there anything out of the ordinary with the plane?" he asked him finally.

"The team is still looking it over, but if I had to guess I would say that someone made sure that it would pass its last inspection only to do something just when they became suspicious that the plane was being used for something more than business."

"Okay, just let me know if you get confirmation on that," Lamb stated before hanging up.

**

Veronica stirred when the familiar scent of grease, potatoes and salt filled her room and made her mouth water.

"Mmm, room service. Too bad you're late, no tip for you," she stated only half-groggily as she looked up to see her favorite nemesis walking back into her room.

"Then maybe I should take these back," Lamb smirked as he held up the fast food bag containing their dinners.

"No, no, that sounds like what I demanded earlier. Which you told me earlier you weren't going to get. What changed?" She was getting skeptical again. Maybe she should be concerned. Had she survived the crash only to die by poisoning?

"You could say I'm in a good mood," he grinned as he handed her a few napkins before handing over her burger and fries.

"Let me guess. The girls at the Veil were thrilled to see that their best customer is alive and well?"

He grinned defiantly, green was such a good color on that pretty face of hers. "I spent my day talking with the pilots, Curtis Turner, Sarah Carter and the Rileys."

"Okay. So is this where you tell me you can't talk about an open investigation to heighten the suspense and get me to solve the case for you as usual?"

"This is where I tell you the case is solved. Allison Riley is being charged with six counts of attempted murder as we speak. The fact one of those charges pumps it up to attempted murder of a police officer is just icing on the cake."

"What? How are you planning to make the charges stick?"

"The FAA guy that was here this morning?"

She nodded.

"We spent today talking to Allison, Nathan and Sarah and their attorneys. Allison was suspected of vehicular manslaughter ten years ago. Now it looks like she was trying to kill her husband for attempting to run off with his ex-wife. A few conversations with Curtis later and we agreed that she was just as likely to want to kill any witnesses, especially seeing as how she claimed she needed witnesses yesterday."

"Where is she now?"

"She'll probably be out on bail in a couple hours, but for now she's a ward of the Balboa County Sheriff's Department."

Veronica couldn't help but smile slightly. She was proud, in a sense, of the typically underachieving sheriff. He had actually solved a case without her for once. And it just happened to be one that involved her. Ironic.

"What time is it?"

"Almost midnight."

"And you're still awake?" To her knowledge he hadn't slept all day, certainly didn't look like it and yet here he was.

"Coffee. Lots of it," he sighed as he raised his latest paper cup to his lips.

"And you're still in the same clothes you were wearing yesterday and you definitely don't smell like you've showered. Careful, Deputy, a girl could get the impression you were out for revenge."

He laughed. Just because she was partially right didn't mean he was going to admit it. "Eat your contraband dinner before the nurses figure out I was your supplier."

She smirked. "I guess it is the least I could do for the guy who said he needs me to keep making his life hell."

Lamb nearly choked on his burger. "What?"

"I had a lot of time to myself today. While you were chasing after the woman who almost got us killed, I managed to remember some things about this morning. One thing being you talking to me and telling me that. Care to admit to some wrong doing?"

"For all I knew you were dying."

"So you chose then to make that grand confession? Can't say I'm surprised it takes my being almost at death's door for you to say something like that, but here I am and here you are."

"It shouldn't be a surprise that I don't want you dead."

"Well it is a surprise that you're here. It's not like -"

"I know," he interrupted, the bitterness creeping back into his voice at the memory of her having only asked Keith for updates on his condition when it had been his turn in a similar room in the same hospital.

"You know, the more I think about it, the more I'm starting to think you actually like me. I mean, first you try to make sure I don't die and then you tell me that you need me while literally holding my hand and then you spend your day actually working and solving this case on your own. Or at least without my help. But now here you are, bringing me dinner, you haven't changed your clothes and even from here I can tell you haven't showered."

"Do you know what would've been left of me if Keith had found out I hadn't put everything into this?"

"Oh, you're going to blame my big, scary daddy for this?" she laughed. "It won't kill you to admit it. I mean, baseball bat to the head, plane crash, you've survived some pretty incredible things. Somehow I doubt Keith Mars will be the death of you."

He laughed, he begged to differ but she was the one who had nearly died sixteen hours ago so he just sighed when he had composed himself and looked at her. Aside from a few scrapes she really did look like her usual self and she was certainly acting like her usual self. If he hadn't been there even he might have been fooled as to what she had endured today.

"You know what," he said finally, "I haven't slept in about forty-eight hours and since Mrs. Riley could make bail any minute, I have no plans of leaving. I'm the sheriff, who better to be your bodyguard comes to pick you up in the morning?" he grinned.

"No. You need to go to your place, where I'm sure you have some barely legal thing waiting for you. And for the love of Triton, shower."

"No way, Mars, scoot over," he told her as he stood from his seat.

"Forget it," she half-laughed when she realized how serious he seemed.

"I'm not leaving and funny thing about my being the local sheriff, you can't make me leave," he went on as he climbed into the all too small bed beside her.

"Okay, okay, you've made your point. You want me to think you're the hero. If I pretend to think of you as one will you go?"

"Nope," he smiled as he laid down beside her. "Me and my stinky self are going to stay right here until Keith shows up tomorrow to take you home."

"Great, so you want him to talk in on you in bed with me? Aren't you the one who's afraid of him?"

"Protecting and serving, Veronica," he breathed as he curled an arm around her waist and inhaled her just enough. She still smelled like an amazing combination of smoke, hospital antiseptic bleach, jasmine and burgers. It was perfect. In that moment Don didn't care how cramped the bed was, who would find him there or what Keith might do to him.

Instead he was too focused on the blonde firecracker who was actually relaxing against him. He couldn't take his earlier confessions back even if he still wanted to. She knew that he cared and really at this point the didn't have anything left to lose at her knowing that he had never really stopped caring about her. She had been scared this morning and he had gotten her through it. Moreover, he had begun the process to force the person who had caused her pain to pay. Better late than never, he decided.

It had only taken him minutes to fall asleep and Veronica hadn't been able to stop herself from curling her body into his. As uncomfortable as she knew spooning with Lamb should have been, it wasn't. She would never admit, out loud, that Don Lamb had gone from being her nemesis to her hero today but she still couldn't deny that she was thankful for him having saved her. And it was true too that Allison could be free at any moment and if she still wanted to be rid of her witnesses, well, it could be better that Lamb was insisting on being her bodyguard tonight.

Granted she might have preferred a real date for Valentine's Day, but right then she knew she could have done a lot worse.

**

Epilogue:

"Hello?" Veronica answered her ringing cell.

"Hi, Honey, it's Dad, where are you?" Keith asked.

"Uh, running some errands," she half-lied. "Why? What's up?"

"Well I just got a call about this job, but you know I've still got my hands full with his insurance fraud case. I was wondering if you could take it for me."

"The one in Arizona?" It had only been a month since the crash and she was too many kinds of not ready to take her chances in the air again.

"Yeah," Keith sighed. He couldn't blame her for not wanting to do it, but he did need the help.

"I can't. I've got a full schedule right now myself and I'm just -"

"Okay, it's okay. I just thought I'd ask. I'll see you at home then."

"Yeah. Love you, later," she told him before they hung up.

"Arizona?" Lamb asked from his desk.

"Dad was wondering if I could take care of a job for him there."

Lamb stood from his chair and walked around to her. "Still not ready to fly again?"

It was stupid and embarrassing, but she shook her head with a sigh.

Slowly bringing his arms around her, clasping his hands at the small of her back and holding her close, he said, "Good," before dipping his head and capturing her lips with his own.

Veronica was stunned only for a moment before she kissed him back. A month ago they had nearly died and he had just had to go and be all heroic for her. Try as she might, Veronica couldn't forget it and Lamb had been pretty cute when the nurse came in and tried to get him escorted out of the hospital for having been in the bed with her.

One heroic act had called for another in Veronica's mind so she had taken the heat for it, then informed the nurse who was clearly new that Lamb was the local sheriff. If nothing else at least they could rest easy in knowing that it hadn't been Keith to walk in to find them like that.

As it stood now Veronica was still an occasional thorn in Lamb's side but it didn't change that he still cared about her far more than most would believe. Meanwhile it had been even more confusing for Veronica. Her nemesis was her hero and no matter how many times she replayed the memories she was still thankful his arms had been the ones she had woken up in both of those mornings and several since.

The End


End file.
